Michael Orozco of the United States celebrates after scoring a goal that will go down in U.S. history. Click on the image for more photos from the match and other games on a busy day of international soccer. (Photo by Miguel Tovar/Getty Images)

A son of a former Virginia Tech football player, FC Dallas star Brek Shea gave up Friday Night Lights at Bryan High to devote himself to playing soccer with the Houston Texans Soccer Club, which is one of the most prestigious youth club teams in America. The Houston Texans Soccer Club also developed former U.S. national team and Dynamo star Stuart Holden and Dynamo midfielder Alex Dixon.

“I grew up playing club there in Houston, so they built me,” Shea, 22, told me in June. “Dallas kind of built me in a different way, an older way. I represent both.”

The 6-3 Shea would make the 90-minute drive each way from Bryan to train in Houston with the Texans three or four times a week from the time he was 11 until he was called into residency camp with the Under-17 U.S. national team in 2005.

Geoff Cameron was a no-name third-round pick, the last guy taken in the 2008 SuperDraft when the Dynamo picked him much later than Shea, who went second overall as a teenager to FC Dallas.

Together, these kids who were developed in Houston made history tonight with the U.S. national team as the first Americans to ever win at Azteca Stadium. Sure, both teams were missing key players, and no star from Mexico’s Olympic Gold medalists played. Whatever the case, the U.S. has made history, and they made it with Cameron and Shea playing crucial roles. Cameron played all 90 minutes and was awesome. Shea was a late sub, making the crucial play that led to the winning goal in the 1-0 victory over its biggest rival.

“So proud of the guys making history,” said Brian Ching, the former U.S. national team star who played at Azteca against Mexico during his days with the national team. “That’s not an easy place to play. Hopefully this gives the team confidence that they can do it again in a qualifier.”

“This is a barrier-breaking moment,” said Texas A&M women’s soccer coach G. Guerrieri, whose Aggies are the top ranked team in the SEC this year. “We haven’t passed Mexico, but tonight was when the U.S. proved to ourselves that we really could beat anybody in a perceived impossible environment.”

Added Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear: “Friendly or not, this is a great result. I think it gives the U.S. confidence the next time they play in Mexico. I think it lets Mexico know America can win down south.”

As for Cameron, most soccer fans know how he evolved from a third-round pick to a player worthy of a contract with Stoke City of the English Premier League just a few weeks ago.

U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsman promised last year that he would mine the rich Latino community for talent, and that paid off quite well. Michael Orozco, a Mexican American, scored the winning goal. Edgar Castillo played great defense, and Herculez Gomez and Jose Torres also played well. All those guys are Mexican Americans who have received more important minutes under Klinsmann.

With the diversity in America, there is no reason the U.S. men’s national team shouldn’t dominate the world in soccer eventually, especially if American football prospects decide to play soccer instead of football. That’s what Shea did at Bryan High, where the coach got so mad at his “future” quarterback” that he kicked him out of the field house.

Shea was committed. Cameron was committed. And equally important, Tim Howard of New Jersey is the best goalkeeper in CONCACAF, as he showed today with a Man of the Match performance.

Some will try to downplay the significance of this U.S. victory, but history is history, and it was made tonight at Azteca Stadium, and Houston can be proud two stars who developed here played crucial roles. Cameron showed today that he should be the starting center back for the U.S. from now on, and Shea showed his quality yet again.

]]>https://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2012/08/u-s-makes-history-and-a-houston-texan-and-dynamo-were-key/feed/34Dynamo players called up for international matcheshttps://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2012/08/dynamo-players-called-up-for-international-matches/
https://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2012/08/dynamo-players-called-up-for-international-matches/#respondThu, 09 Aug 2012 18:21:26 +0000http://blog.chron.com/soccer/?p=3366The Dynamo quartet of Boniek Garcia, Andre Hainault, Jermaine Taylor and Je-Vaughn Watson have been called up by their respective national teams to play in friendly matches next Wednesday.

Former Dynamo midfielder Geoff Cameron, who just received approval to complete his move to Stoke City of the English Premier League, is also expected to be called up for the U.S. national team’s game against Mexico at Azteca Stadium next week.

Garcia, who has earned 67 caps for Honduras, will face Argentina’s Boca Juniors in Miami. Hainault and Canada will be up the road in Ft. Lauderdale against Trinidad and Tobago.

Taylor and Watson will help Jamaica against El Salvador at RFK Stadium.

]]>https://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2012/08/dynamo-players-called-up-for-international-matches/feed/0Sad day for soccer when you can watch Mexico for free, but not the U.S.https://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2012/06/sad-day-for-soccer-when-you-can-watch-mexico-for-free-but-not-the-u-s/
https://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2012/06/sad-day-for-soccer-when-you-can-watch-mexico-for-free-but-not-the-u-s/#commentsTue, 12 Jun 2012 18:27:45 +0000http://blog.chron.com/soccer/?p=3107

It'll cost you extra if you want to see Geoff Cameron and other members of the U.S. national team play in Guatemala. (Ross D. Franklin/AP)

It’s a sad day in America and a definite step back for soccer in the U.S. when fans of the Red, White and Blue can watch Mexico’s World Cup qualifier for free on the same day they must pay to watch the U.S. against Guatemala.

In CONCACAF, host countries own TV rights for World Cup qualifiers. Our dear friends from Guatemala sold the rights to tonight’s match to a pay-per-view company.

As I wrote a few weeks back in my notebook, the PPV is quite pricey. To be honest, I don’t expect a good broadcast. I’m not buying the match. I’d rather spend that cash on a USMNT kit for one of my girls.

I wasn’t the first and won’t be the last person to say Mexico’s national soccer team is probably the most popular sports teams in America. The ratings for Mexico-Brazil earlier this month were better than anything for the NHL finals — and that was a friendly match.

But if soccer is going to make greater strides in the U.S., we need to have the World Cup qualifiers over the air. Free.

MLS and U.S. Soccer should buy the rights and use the games as giant infomercials for MLS. It would be a great investment in soccer in America.

Many Americans still have not bought into soccer yet, but most of us rally around our national teams. We shouldn’t have to go to PPV to see our national team while El Salvador and Mexico fans get their game for free.

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]]>https://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2012/06/sad-day-for-soccer-when-you-can-watch-mexico-for-free-but-not-the-u-s/feed/64Former El Tri keeper Jorge Campos visits; designated player pollhttps://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2011/12/former-el-tri-keeper-jorge-campos-visits/
https://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2011/12/former-el-tri-keeper-jorge-campos-visits/#commentsMon, 12 Dec 2011 21:37:26 +0000http://blog.chron.com/soccer/?p=2641I’m having lunch Tuesday with former El Tri goalkeeper Jorge Campos, who will be in town tomorrow to help promote Mexico’s Jan. 25 game against Venezuela at Reliant Stadium.

Campos was one of the first Mexican players to play in Major League Soccer, so I’m sure to ask him what he tells Mexican stars about playing in the U.S.

Cuauhtemoc Blanco had quite an impressive stint with the Chicago Fire, but I don’t think anybody would say Rafa Marquez has had a strong stint with the New York Red Bulls. Omar Bravo was decent with Sporting Kansas City.

Which leads me to my next question. When will a young Mexican national team star give MLS a try?

Javier “El Chicharito” Hernandez of Manchester United is out of the question, so let’s not even go there.

But, I wonder if Gio Dos Santos or Carlos Vela or Pablo Barrera might want to return to North America. All those three have graduated from the starlet tag, and neither has established himself in Europe.

Vela’s showing some life on loan in Real Sociedad. I’ve always been quite high on him, and I wish he could stick with Arsenal.

Gio creates magic for the Mexican national team, but he’s made a huge mistake staying at Tottenham.

Barrera couldn’t stick with West Ham United, so he’s on loan in Spain with Real Zaragoza, which is struggling badly in La Liga.

If I had a chance, I’d sign Dos Santos.

A year ago, I might have picked Carlos Vela ahead of Barrera, but not now.

Can you imagine Barrera delivering crosses and using his speed to threaten down the right wing while Brad Davis takes care of business on the left wing?

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]]>https://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2011/12/former-el-tri-keeper-jorge-campos-visits/feed/5Rice to host U.S. Pan American women’s basketball teamhttps://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2011/10/rice-to-host-u-s-pan-american-basketball-team/
https://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2011/10/rice-to-host-u-s-pan-american-basketball-team/#commentsMon, 03 Oct 2011 22:12:17 +0000http://blog.chron.com/owls/?p=4094
The Americans will practice three days at Tudor Fieldhouse in preparation for the Pan American Games later this month in Guadalajara, Mexico. ]]>The U.S. women’s basketball team will practice on the Rice campus Oct. 15-18 in preparation for the 2011 Pan American Games later this month in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Rice sophomore forward Jessica Kuster was considered for the team but did not make the roster.
Coach Greg Williams said there’s a chance Kuster could practice with the team, but he had yet to hear official word Monday afternoon.

“I was excited she got on the radar screen,” Williams said.

The U.S. opens the Pan American Games on Oct. 21 against Argentina, followed by Puerto Rico (Oct. 22) and Mexico (Oct. 23) to close out preliminary round group play.

The top two finishing teams from each preliminary round group advance to the medal semifinals. The third and fourth place teams will play for fifth through eighth places.

The tournament semifinals will be played on Oct. 24, and the finals will take place the next day.